ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cue — a signal
  5. shower — to wash
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. rock — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mug — to rob
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. shower — rain
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mug — a face
  21. prune — to trim
  22. spring — of water
  23. rock — a stone
  24. prune — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com